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If ever a player deserved the label of ‘Comeback King’, it’s Rafael Nadal.
After a bumpy 2015 in which many of his critics wrote him off, and a shaky start to 2016, the Spaniard has once again asserted his status as ruler of the clay courts.
In an epic two hours and 45 minutes of slogging out a final, Nadal defeated flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 to add another jewel to his glittering title haul.
This particular win carries a lot of weight. After eight consecutive wins in Monte Carlo from 2005 to 2012, this is Rafa’s ninth title in the principality. It marks his 28th trophy at a Masters 1000, drawing him level once more with Novak Djokovic for most Masters titles of all time.
By making it to the last two, Nadal is now one of only six players to have reached 100 tour level finals, and his victory is his 68th career title. More to the point, it’s his 48th on clay, bringing him one shy of Guillermo Vilas’ record of 49 trophies on the dirt.
Staking his claim on the first clay court Masters of the season, after negotiating a tricky draw, is quite the statement to the rest of the field. Nadal battled through future star and world No.15 Dominic Theim, saving all but two of 19 break points he faced at the hands of the Austrian. He thumped past world No.4 and French Open champion Stan Wawrinka, 6-1, 6-4. And he survived a stern test by a determined world No.2 Andy Murray, after fighting back from a set down.
However, what was truly astonishing about the win was the ferocious fight Nadal faced from Gael Monfils. Notoriously unpredictable and frustratingly inconsistent, the Frenchman has had the best start to his year for a long time, making at least the quarter-finals of every tournament he’s entered.
This particular Monfils was a model of consistency. His focus was keen and his fearlessness admirable; hitting winners from every angle, including a screaming 171km/h forehand, the fastest of the tournament.
However, eventually Nadal did what he does best; that is, ground his opponent into submission. After titanic first and second sets, the King of Clay pounced. Weary from the relentless fire power and walloping baseline defence the Spaniard threw at him, the Frenchman eventually succumbed to a 6-0 defeat in the third.
Regardless, the performance of both players was powerful, neat, and above all, supremely entertaining from start to finish. A wonderful win for Nadal, and wonderful encouragement for Monfils.
Of course, there are two notable names missing from the scalps claimed by Nadal; Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who were eliminated in the second round and quarter-finals respectively. However, whether to give that fact any stock is another matter. Considering Nadal’s clay record against Federer is 13-2, and with the Swiss Maestro returning from injury, it’s estimable what would have happened if they’d met.
As for Djokovic; clay is not his best surface, and he clearly suffered mental and physical fatigue (coupled with an outstanding performance by giant-slayer Jiri Vesely) in his second-round defeat. Given the skill and confidence with which Nadal attacked each of his matches, it’s fair to speculate the Spaniard would have ploughed through both of them.
Nadal’s Monte Carlo triumph could be the long-awaited-for response to one of the burning questions surrounding his game for the past year; does he need a new coach? The answer is an emphatic ‘no.’ Nadal’s primary foe has always been his own mind. In equal parts tough and fragile, he does not have the healthy ‘champion’s ego’ of other top players.
As such, his confidence is based on winning. However, in order to win, you need confidence. Chicken and egg. A new coach would have done nothing but worry him, which, coupled with the guilt of discarding his Uncle Toni, is a recipe for disaster. Given his thrillingly consistent performances during the course of the week, it’s obvious the only change he needed was his mindset.
What happens during the rest of the clay season remains to be seen. With Madrid and Rome on the horizon, not to mention the French Open looming, Djokovic will be itching to prove his mettle on the red dirt (and he will). Federer remains the force of nature he always has been. Wawrinka will desperately want to gain momentum before his French Open title defence. And Murray, after an excellent performance in the Monte Carlo semifinals, will be dying to take it one step further.
As for Rafa, he’ll try to harness whatever he found within himself at Monte Carlo. He will play without fear once more. And whatever the results, he has reclaimed his place at the very top of the game. After all, did he ever really leave?
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